Come Back To Me, a Hunger Games fanfic
by theatre4life
Summary: Rue's best friend is forced to watch her friend fight-or not fight-to the death on live TV.
1. Chapter 1: The Reaping

Chapter One: The Day of Reaping

My hands shake as I pull on my dress. I look at myself in the mirror. This is not Nalin Brinner. This girl in the mirror is a girl who looks like she had no hardships. That is not me. I have so many hardships. I work hard every day just to put food on the table. I toil endless hours in the field, pricking my hands in the process. The only happy thing about this is Rue, my best friend, who sings like an angel to the mockingjays. And this is the thanks that the Capitol gives us for providing them with an abundance of food?

I brush my thick black hair back into a ponytail. Still doesn't show the real me.

"Nalin? Time to go down to the square," Lobelia says softly.

I turn to face her. This poor, poor little five-year-old. If my name got chosen in the Reaping, she might as well be dead. I hug her. This is the first time for my name to be put in the lottery, at the age of twelve. We had to also add my name four more times for tesserae. My family is undoubtedly poor, as is many of the people in District Eleven. Our lives are hard enough already. And if I had to enter the Hunger Games…

No, I think to myself. Don't think that way. You will not get chosen. You will not, you will not…Lobelia and I walk down the streets silently, our parents walking even more slowly than us. This is the first time for us to worry. We have always worried about the other tributes, and about their families, but we have never worried about our family. My aunt Acacia and Uncle Alder have no children.

I walk towards the roped off areas. I see scared children, desperate mothers. This whole business is so unfair. Why do we have the Hunger Games? I know that it is because it is the Capitol uses it to keep us from rebelling. I know that I would rebel if I got the chance, but I am so scared. What if the Capitol kills me? Then it would have all been for nothing.

Rue gently takes my hand. The two of us friends stand close together. We know that our lives depend on this slim chance. I look around to see who else was here. Zinnea and Bloom, the twins. They were clinging to each other, fearful that one of them would be sent to a certain death. Rowan, my friend who's a boy. Everyone teases me about having a crush on him. I do have feelings for him, but what could they mean? I feel mournful. If my name or Rowan's is chosen, I might never get the chance to confess my true feelings for him.

I search around for others. Ash, Juniper, Azalea, Jessup, and Armando, Rue's five other siblings. What would become of them if she was chosen? Juniper especially, she's the youngest at the age of four. Finally, I look at my parents, at everyone's parents. The scared and worried looks on their faces. No one was going to enjoy the festivities that were to come. I know I won't.

Finally, Mayor Bluebird comes up. He talks about the history of Panem, the country that was created out of what used to be North America. He lists the disasters, both natural and man-made. He tells us the horrors of the war. The result of this was Panem, he says. Then came the Dark Days, when the thirteen districts rebelled against the Capitol. Twelve districts were defeated, the thirteenth destroyed. The Treaty of Treason was constructed, giving us new laws to guarantee peace. And it also gave us the Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games are terrible. I hate watching it on TV; I hate seeing kids die; I hate the fact that the Capitol sees it as entertainment. Entertainment! Watching innocent kids die, that's their gruesome idea of entertainment. And I've seen some of these Capitol people. Our escort, Glitter, who says the same old darn thing every year. Wearing that ridiculous looking cardigan made out of mockingjay feathers. That's another thing I hate, people using animals for decoration. It's okay to use fur for warmth, but when it comes to deliberately doing something for fashion…

Speaking of Glitter, here she is now.

"Hello, District Eleven! It is such an _honor_ to be serving you!" she chirps in that nasty sticky-sweet voice.

Rue and I look at each other. An honor? That couldn't mean anything good.

"_Happy_ Hunger Games!" she continues, "And may the odds be _ever_ in your favor!"

She clears her throat. We stare at her.

"You know how _wonderful_ it is to be with you all! It is my _pleasure _to be serving you!"

Why does she always emphasize at least one word in every sentence that she says? And it is so _annoying_ to hear her say that it is her pleasure, and that it's an honor to be serving us when I heard her last year talking to Mayor Bluebird about how she couldn't wait to be promoted to a better district. What a conceited, self-concerned person!

Glitter made her way up to the reaping ball. I became very afraid again. What if she chose me, what if she chose me…?

"Let's switch it up a little this year!" Glitter squealed. She seemed like she was too excited to wait much longer.

"Boys first this year!" Glitter squealed again.

She fumbled with the slip that she took out. Then she announced:

"Thresh Leaferman!"

Thresh! I remember him from the field. He was always solitary, never speaking much. He is fifteen, and not as sociable as the other teenagers. The gang I hang around with at the field, my assigned planting partners, calls him "strong and silent." My boy-crazed friend, Zinnea, has a crush on him. I couldn't believe what Zinnea was feeling inside. Would she cry? Would she scream? I look over at Zinnea. She remains impassive, but I know her. I know all my friends. Zinnea must feel so afraid, so sad. We all know that District Eleven doesn't have much of a chance of winning, being the poorest.

"Congratulations, Thresh!" Glitter says as Thresh walks up silently.

"And now the girls!" Glitter rushes over to the other ball and grabs a slip of paper ever so casually.

I cross my fingers. But I suddenly gasp at the name that Glitter calls out. It's not Nalin Brinner. But it's someone even worse.

It's Rue Brightman.


	2. Chapter 2: The Reactions

Chapter Two: The Reactions

We all stand there, shocked. There is an eerie silence. Everyone is completely shocked. There isn't even the usual mutterings about a twelve-year-old getting reaped. Everything is just still. And I know why.

The day Rue started out on the farm with me, Azalea, Zinnea, Cypress, and Jonquille. Jonquille, being herself, taunted me about being friends with a little kid as we started planting. The hard work went on for hours, and everyone was getting edgy. It's the hardest thing to live in District Eleven. The Peacekeepers watch us warily 24/7, pointing their hard metal guns at us to push us, to force us to work harder.

But at the end of the day, Rue gently nudged me. She pointed to a strange bird.

"A mockingjay," she had whispered.

A mockingjay. The unlikely combination of a mockingbird and a jabberjay, which survived against the odds. And Rue began to hum her four-note tune. The beautiful melody echoed throughout the fields. Everyone heard it. Everyone knew that the work was done for today.

Since that first day, Rue has always sung the four-note tune. It's somewhat of a symbol of hope here in District Eleven. And now, with Rue in the Games, there's no one to take her place.

"Are there any volunteers?" Camellia asked calmly.

Absolutely no one responds. I feel tempted to go up there and take her place, but somone clutches me tightly. Azalea. "Don't," she seems to barely whisper.

"Well! That settles things, _doesn't_ it?" Camellia says.

She then summons the Peacekeepers to keep Rue and Thresh in custody. We all are silent. Rue follows the Peacekeepers. _No, _I think. _Don't go away from me. I am your soul sister, Rue. Don't abandon me!_ She doesn't catch my silent scream. I watch them walk swiftly to the Justice Building.

"If anyone wishes to visit the tributes, you may visit them in an hour in the Justice Building," Camellia chirps.

I knew that I had to see Rue. Why hadn't I done anything? _What a coward_, I thought to myself. _What a coward!_ I pushed through the crowd, which slowly dispersed.

"Rue!" I scream after her. "Rue!"

"Nalin," someone whispers behind me. I jump, and turn around. It's Rowan.

"Rowan," I muttered. "I can't live with myself."

"Nalin, you didn't have to volunteer," Rowan says softly. "Rue is perfectly capable..."

"No!" I sob. "She's not 'perfectly capable'! She's only twelve! She's doomed! She's from District Eleven! She-she's-" I break off. Rowan wouldn't understand. I brush away from him. He has a hurt look on his face. I sob even harder. Great. I had lost both my best friend and my chances of ever being with Rowan all in one hour. I'm hopeless! Rowan had only been trying to help me...

An hour later...I rush towards the Justice Building. I had figured out exactly what I wanted to say. I would say that I should have volunteered, and I was so, so sorry. Then I would give her the star charm I had made. It was to my birthday present from Rue, but under the circumstances, it would make Rue happier than me. And it would remind her of home, and what she was fighting for. After checking with a Peacekeeper to let me in, I walk into Rue's room. I look straight at her, then, against my will, I slowly begin to cry.

"Rue!" I wail. "I should have volunteered for you! And now I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life!"

"Nalin...' Rue looks sad. I reflect on what had happened. She was in greater danger than I was. She was about to go to the Capitol. And she now had to deal with me thinking that it was my entire fault. I wipe my eyes. I didn't want Rue's last days to be filled with sorrow for me, and not for her. _Last days?_ I think. _Don't think that!_

"Nalin, I don't blame you for anything. You shouldn't regret it. I'm the one who's going to the Hunger Games, remember? Just-just let the song continue on, do you understand?" She doesn't sound like her usual chipper self. I nod. I know exactly what the song was. Her song to the mockingjays. The beautiful four-note melody that signified the end of the day; the end of a day of hardships. I would sing it for her, and for the other citizens of District Eleven. I slowly take out the star charm. I look at it longingly. Then I place it in her palm.

"Rue, take this." I thrust it at her.

"Nalin, you need that to remember _me_! I made that for you!" Rue gasps. "I couldn't-"

"It'll remind you of us. And-" I took a deep breath, "-you need it more than I do."

Rue nodded. We hugged for a long time. Then a snarling Peacekeeper comes up to me.

"Get out!" he snarls at me.

I give him a hard stare, then I run off. I stop and look behind at Rue. I smile grimly. I take a deep breath. This would be the last time I saw my best friend, before the Hunger Games. The Peacekeeper growls at me. I jump, then run off.

Later, I join Mom, Dad, and Lobelia. We are all in the town square. A small TV is in front of the whole crowd. It shows all of the Reapings all around Panem. District One: The beautiful District 1 classics. District Two: A menacing, brutal-looking boy who looks like a real contender. I bite my lip. District Five: A smart-looking girl with red hair and a foxy grin. Not an ally for Rue; she seems like she'd betray any ally, no matter how much the ally helps her. Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten. Then Eleven. I watch in horror as Glitter calls out Rue's name. It chills me to see that scene again. I would never forget it. The eerie silence as Rue quietly takes to the stage. No one doing a single thing for her. Twelve. The escort announces the name, "Primrose Everdeen!" Then a brave girl runs up and volunteers in place of Primrose. "Katniss Everdeen" is her name. I feel crying. Why had she volunteered, and I had not? I run off, even though Mom and Dad yell at me to come back.


End file.
